BASF’s MDI facilities in Asia to start turnarounds on 23, 30 May

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--German giant BASF will be shutting its two methyl di-p-phenylene isocyanate (MDI) plants in Asia for planned turnarounds in May and June, a company source said on Wednesday.

The company’s 240,000 tonne/year MDI unit at the Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park in Caojing, Shanghai, will be shut from 23 May to 22 June. Its 190,000 tonne/year MDI facility at Yeosu in South Korea will be shut from 30 May to 9 June.

BASF’s plant shutdowns are expected to further tighten MDI supplies in Asia during the second quarter, as two other key producers in the region, Nippon Polyurethane Industry (NPU) and Kumho Mitsui Chemicals, will also start their annual maintenance in May and June.

MDI is a core component used in the production of polyurethane (PU) products.

PU is used extensively for cooling as well as heat insulation applications and is the preferred material for keeping food and medications cold during production, distribution and storage, according to BASF.